ARE YOU A NARCISSISTIC…?

Are you a classic 'narcissistic ? A difficult question to answer about oneself. If you are one, it will not be easy to be recognised as a narcissistic personality in routine course of time, unless you are a celebrity or happen to occupy a prominent position or become a leader of some consequence.

If you are an employee and the organisation has an expert psychoanalyst, there is a good possibility that at the time of interview or at the time of two ways appraisal your hidden narcissistic traits can be slightly traced.

There are numerous variety of personalities in the world. In fact, somebody rightly exclaimed that there are as many personalities on this planet as equivalent to as many human beings existing on this earth ! But there has to be classification and segmentation of different classes in all walks of life for identification and so is the case with personalities.

Freud broadly identified three main types of personalities: 1. Erotic 2. Obsessive and 3. Narcissistic

As far as Erotic Personalities are concerned, please do not go by the dictionary meaning of titillating word: 'erotic' , as it may connote sexual personality. It is not so. As per Freud, erotic personalities are those for whom loving and being loved is vital.

This blog will restrict only to narcissistic types.

Freud named the narcissistic type after the great mythical figure Narcissus who died because of his quixotical and pathological preoccupation predominantly with himself.

Coming back to the title: Are you a narcissistic ? All of us are like having a streak of all sort of existing personalities with numerous permutation and combination. Yes, we are all somewhat narcissistic and so also we are some what obsessive, erotic or a combination of any other personalities that have been defined in any text books and will be so in new type of personalities that emerge from time to time to suit changing times. The important point that needs to be underlined is that one of the most dynamic trait or tendencies generally dominates the other and you get branded as one.

Dominant traits of narcissitics:

•Hard personality to understand, appraise and analyse
•Negative impression but very difficult to make out at the first sight
•They are amazingly daring but you realise this hidden trait only in times of adversity as they exhibit audacity suddenly in times of crisis
•High risk takers. At times, even at the cost of company going downhill. They may not realsie but gets realised at the crux of times
•Highly self protective and extremely independent
•Abnormally dogmatic
•Maverick in nature and highly distrustful (.. but all disguised !)
•They deliberately shun emotions
•Abrasively poor listeners - it is a ploy (why should i listen to others when i am at the helm of affairs). Impatient by nature but curtailed and disguised to large extent.
•Over sensitive, especially to negative criticism
•Will not tolerate slights, especially in groups and public
•When they get to position of power, they develop an urge to leave behind a legacy of their own
•Cannot tolerate dissent. Will try to nip in the bud when in a position of command, not otherwise!
•Publicity crazy ( deep rooted love for limelight) and likes to lead by high sounding speech. Their preachy personality comes to the fore once they attain the 'boss' position. Good orators
•Very poor mentors and also very difficult to be mentored
•High level of conviction and passionate in what they do. Highly result oriented. ( I want result at any cost, come what may)
•Not apologetic by nature. Rarely regret
•More interested in dominating, dictating and instructing than in coaching
•Unlikable personality
•Deliberately keep themselves aloof
•Nurture grandiosity - grand plans/schemes
•Self promoting
•Strong belief in themselves that they are makers and shapers
•Low on Emotional Quotient
•Thrive very well in chaotic times. Rather relish crisis and accept big and ambitious challenges
•Credit hoggers, at the cost of others
•They feel they are 'God' and express so in so many ways

>> These dominant traits which are dormant will come to limelight at times of crisis once they usurp themselves in to the position of power.

Get a side kick: Although narcissists' dominant personality emerge in times of unprecedented crisis or opportunity, they are extremely smart in disguised form and they are absolutely aware and know of their limitations. In order to overcome their shortcomings, they find a suitable side kick ( a 'chamacha' in Indian jargon) in the organisation who very shrewdly, smartly and intelligently takes care of 'ego kicks' of his boss by aiding him in achieving grand vision. The side kick is a smart alec and a intelligent operator and stretches himself to keep his narasissitc boss rooted in to reality.

Larger than life leader: A person having a predominant traits of narcissism catapults himself to emerge as a leader in times of crisis and then on goes on to become a larger than life leader by choice, of course surrounded by side kicks. Sigmund Freud labeled larger than life leaders as narcissistic. As per him, narcissists impress majority of people, especially in times of crisis, as being big personality.

History makers: If we glance through the pages of history, narcissists have always emerged to inspire people to shape the future and destiny. They determine and set the social agenda, as they have the inherent capacity to see and paint 'big picture'.

In view of the aforesaid jottings on narcissitics, many people may think of such personalities in a negative way. Inspite of built in negative connotation in naracissim, it can be very useful and may be even necessary, especially in times of crisis to carry out surgical operations ( Indira Gandhi did carry out a carefully managed surgical war on Pakistan which led to the formation of Bangladesh. And also her Blue Star operation to weed out the terrorists hidden in the Golden temple).

Narcissistic leadership does not always necessarily mean triumphant leadership. It can lead to self destruction. History is crammed with many such cases ( imposing emergency in our country, taking the company Enron to financial disaster and, currently, terrorists threatening the security of the whole world)

As per Freud, it is interesting to note that there is a productive and also unproductive side to narcissism. Jack Welch belongs to a classic case of productive narcissist. He had the guts and highly risk oriented audacity to push through unbelivable massive transformation that society that time was unprepared but hidden willingness which was there was tapped by him.

Some known narcisstic leaders:

•Napoleon Bonaparte
•De Galle
•Mao Tse-tung
•Indira Gandhi
•General Musharaff
•Henry Ford
•Rockefeller
•Stallin
•Steve Jobs
•Bill Gates
•Jack Welch
•Mahatma Gandhi
•Andrew Carnegie
•Thomas Edison

Finally, after knowing the predominant traits of narcissistics, are we competent enough to identity who is narcissistic in our family, in our neighborhood, in our society, in the organisation we are working for, in the country, in the world at large ? Of course NOT ! Only the highly trained psychoanalysts, anthropologists, professional clinicians and pathologists as a well integrated team together can make a guess at arriving at a decision as to whether narcissism is normal or pathological !

Mohan Pujar
Source: An article by Michael Naccoby in HBR